


It Was A Good Day

by Elle82



Category: Hannibal (TV)
Genre: Episode: s02e08 Su-zakana, Gen, Will Graham/Hannibal Lecter (if you squint)
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-12-24
Updated: 2014-12-24
Packaged: 2018-03-03 06:04:48
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,166
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2840783
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Elle82/pseuds/Elle82
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Will brings Peter Bernadone home to Wolf Trap to meet Winston and the gang.</p>
            </blockquote>





	It Was A Good Day

**Author's Note:**

> First Hannibal fic - hope you like! 
> 
> From a prompt over at Hannibal Kink: Peter Bernardone just broke my heart in that episode, the man doesn't even hold a grudge against the horse that kicked him in the head. Can we please give him a good day, where Will is like "you wanna come play with my dogs?" and they have a playdate with the dogs and nothing bad happens? Please?
> 
> Or just, them bonding over being nice to animals, since people have betrayed them both time and time again. I feel like they could really connect via that.

Will glanced over at Peter who was sitting still in the passenger seat. He stared out the window at the unfamiliar landscape that rushed by, on his guard but also safe in a way he doesn’t feel often.

Will turned his attention back to the road. It was another few miles to Wolf Trap and the men had travelled in companionable silence for most of the way.

Will had tried to ask a few questions when they first set out, but there was no need for small talk. They were happy with the quiet.

Hannibal and Jack had both warned Will against taking Peter with him, even if it was just for a few hours. He’s too unstable, they said. He could react badly to the new surroundings, they said. Will just laughed in that way he did, low, directed towards the ground but without any malice.

He ignored their advice, but told Hannibal he’d have him on speed-dial if something bad happened. More for Hannibal’s sake than anything else.

“H-how many dogs you got?” Peter said, breaking the silence.

“Right now? Seven.”

Peter nodded, shifting in his seat slightly. Will made the turn off the main road that led to his little house in Wolf Trap.

The weather was still cool, but sunny. There was still ice on some parts of the ground, particularly if you ventured into the woods.

Will knew Peter loved animals, and was devastated when that asshole of a social worker had let all of Peter’s animals out. Some could be recovered, but most of them had run away, left up to nature to deal with. Animal control had been called in at that point and cleared out Peter’s workspace, even though the people at the stables were happy for him to keep his menagerie.

Peter was heartbroken. He didn’t understand.  And when Will had heard what happened, he made arrangements for Peter to visit.

As he pulled up to the house, Will’s phone buzzed with a text message. It was Hannibal.

_Is everything okay Will?_

Will smiled slightly, looked over at Peter who made no move to get out of the car, and replied.

_Everything’s fine Hannibal. Call you later._

Will pocketed his phone and got out of the car, going around to the passenger side to open the door for Peter.

Hearing their master’s car pull up, the dogs began barking inside the house. Peter craned his head, looking towards the front door.

“They’re okay, Peter. They’re just excited to meet you.” Will climbed the steps up the front porch. “I don’t usually bring guests home.”

Will opened the screen door, but paused before opening the main door. He looked back at Peter, still standing in the front yard, his winter coat swamping him. He was squinting in the winter sun, focused on the door.

Will opened the door a crack. The dogs barked and whined.

“Everyone, be nice. We have a guest. Be gentle.”

Will opened the door wider and the dogs came tumbling out, across the porch and down the stairs to Peter, who sank to his knees, a look of sheer happiness on his face.

The dogs raced over and jumped all over Peter who tried to pat the dogs all at once.

“Oh hello! Hello to you. Hello, hello, hello!”

The dogs circled him, yipping and sniffing him, nuzzling his hands. Peter laughed and grabbed the nearest dog to him, Winston, and planted a kiss on his muzzle. Will couldn’t help but laugh. His phone buzzed again.

_You’re doing a wonderful thing, Will. I’m sure Peter is very grateful._

Will looked up. Peter had gotten up off the ground and was running around with the dogs. They were jumping up, giving playful nips to Peter as he ran. He was laughing with a pure, unfettered joy.

Will put the phone back in his pocket, grabbed some treats from the table on the porch and walked over to Peter.

“Hey Peter, want to see them do a trick?”

Peter stopped running, panting slightly, and nodded.

Will handed Peter six of the small pieces of kibble, keeping one for himself. He walked over to a low log bench that sat in the front yard.  The dogs panted, their breath misting in the cool air.

Will placed one treat down on the bench, then turned to Peter.

“Okay. Peter, put one treat down. That’s right, just next to mine…a little bit further away. That’s right.”

Peter did as he was told, putting the treat down, making sure it was just right.

“Okay, now, put the rest of them down in a line, the same space apart.”

Peter nodded, his face etched in concentration as he painstakingly placed the rest of the kibble in a line down on the bench. The dogs waited, tails wagging.

When Peter was done, he stood back, admiring his work, then went to stand next to Will.

They watched the dogs who had their eyes on their master.

Will leaned over to Peter, not too close, and whispered “Tell them to sit.”

“Sit.”

The dogs all sat on command, a motely crew of shapes, sizes and colours. Peter laughed and Will smiled. It had taken him a few hours to teach them this trick one solitary Sunday, and seemingly endless handfuls of kibble.

“Now count.”

Peter looked confused. Will started.

“One!”

The smallest dog, the white one, stepped forward and took the first piece of kibble from the bench. Peter gasped in disbelief.

“Your turn, Peter. Go on.”

“…two?”

“C’mon Peter, you can do louder than that.”

“…two!”

Another dog, the medium brown one with short hair and dark patches stepped forward to take the second piece from the bench. Peter looked at Will with a grin a mile wide.

“Go on! You do the rest.”

Peter rubbed his hands together.

“Three!”

“Four!”

“Five…six…SEVEN!”

Will laughed. So the last three had been rushed, and the dogs were confused for a split second, but Will nodded at them and the three last dogs, the very last being Winston, grabbed the kibble from the bench.

Peter clapped his hands.

“Good dogs! Good dogs!”

He sank to his knees again, hugging the dogs.

They knew. They knew to be gentle with Peter, to let him grab them and pat them. They circled him, never straying far, only to relieve themselves in the bushes, but always returning to Peter.

Will walked back to the porch, sitting on the top step as Peter played with the dogs. A few minutes later, Winston trotted up to him and joined his master on the top step.

Will and Winston watched the scene before him.

“Thanks, Winston. Thanks to all you guys for being nice to Peter.”

Will put his arm around Winston, the small, warm body leaning into his own.

The dog, sensing Will’s mood, sighed deeply and continued to watch his master’s friend, playing with his own friends.

It was a good day. For all of them.

 


End file.
